u/Suspicious-Ad-8439

My birthday is next week, and I took the day off work. My plan was to buy some little birthday hats and a cupcake from Walmart and celebrate by myself. It feels... kind of somber.
My partner is supposed to take me out this Saturday. In all the time we've been together, he's never taken me out for my birthday. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but at the same time I can't help having expectations. I'm also preparing myself for the possibility that nothing really happens.

One of my friends offered to take me out on Sunday, which is incredibly sweet, but she's currently living in a shelter. I feel guilty letting her spend money on me, even though I know it's coming from a place of love. I actually bought her a Pandora bracelet as a thank-you gift that I'm planning to give her that day.

Toward the end of next week, another friend is coming over with some food so we can hang out at my place.

I guess I'm just not sure how to feel. Part of me feels grateful that people want to spend time with me. Another part of me feels sad that I'm lowering my expectations because I'm so used to being disappointed. Has anyone else felt this way around their birthday? Is there anything else I can do for myself?

I'm sure this is a common question, but how do I get into PC gaming?
My partner recently built me my first gaming PC, and so far I've only been playing Discounty. I do have an OLED Switch and a pretty big game library there, so I'm not completely new to gaming—just new to PC.
One of the reasons I wanted to get into gaming was to meet new people. Lately it's been feeling a little lonely, so I'd love to find people around my age (24), especially other women or welcoming communities.
I've heard streaming can also be a good way to meet people, but I honestly have no idea where to start or if that's actually true.
So I built up the courage to ask netizens... where do I begin? What games would you recommend, how did you meet your gaming friends, and are there any Discord servers or communities you'd suggest for someone who's just getting started?
I'd love to hear your recommendations, and hopefully I'll be back with some fun updates as I dive into PC gaming. <3